TWIN
by Tasia'sENDLESSDreams
Summary: "…Meet me in Wonderland…" The dead give her life. Stolen bonds are her rebirth. She connects two worlds from strife. Who's heart shall break first? OCx?
1. Plans

Chapter One-Plans

Review please…I need the feed back…I'm insecure…^^

"Alice is going to make her decision regardless Peter." The dream demon said simply, confronting the White Rabbit yet again. This was the umpteenth time he had approached Peter in the Dream Realm and had to listen to him complaining about his failure in Alice's Game of the Heart.

"But she should love me!" Peter protested in his persistent drabble. "I'm must make her see my heart is true. None of those suitors could the devotion for her that I do!"

"Yet they hold devotion none the less. " Nightmare stated. 'This is what you wanted Peter. You wanted her here. But the twists and turns did not play out to your favor. And in my opinion," A devilish smirk escaped his face. "I believe you're running out of time."

Peter let out a frustrated cry and started beating the ground with his fist like a child. Nightmare merely watched in silent amusement.

"Damn it all!" Peter cried, hand to his head as if suffering a great headache. "I try and I try but my attempts are in vain! And Alice cares not for my heart she has slain! There must be a way for her to love me equally! But everyone else is in the way repeatedly!"

"Well what to do?" Nightmare shrugged carelessly, pleasure dripping from his voice. "It's not like you can 'eliminate the competition.' Alice would despise you eternally for sure after that."

Peter sighed. Alice's value for life was an adoring quality in her, yet at the same time, it was quite troublesome. How could he win her heart if he couldn't win her favor in this game against everyone else she held dear? It was truly vexing. He could change his strategy, but it was so hard when he knew of the inevitable degree at which her affections SHOULD lie for him. If only he didn't have to fight for her against everyone else. He was sure so many suitors falling for her was clouding her poor good-natured judgement.

"Damn it!" he cursed again, tormented by his own inner thoughts. "The others are shameful in their affections! It must only be because she is an outsider that they lust for her! No one knows her as I truly do!"

"Oh Alice!" A dramatic sob escaped the rabbit's throat.

Nightmare tried hard to hold in his laughter, but only ended up inducing a bloody coughing fit from the restraint. Peter glared and continued his griping.

"Oh my poor Alice!" he said. "Your heart is so cheaply sought for! Can't they just find some one else to adore?" He huffed and sat back, crossing his arms, trying to think.

"It's not like any of us can help it." Nightmare hacked, wiping away the remainder of the blood form his mouth. "I love her too. The Outsiders that travel here are born and bred with qualities that make them irresistible to Role holders like us. I'm sure if it was any other foreigner, the reaction would be the same."

Peter's anger flared and he jumped up in fury. Hearing his Alice being described in such terms enraged him.

"How dare you talk about her like that!" the rabbit threatened, itching to use his weapon. "Alice is NOT just any Outsider! She is special and unique and has the differentiating qualities that make her so enchanting as to-"

He stopped his rambling as his mind had suddenly processed Nightmare's last statement.

"Wait!" Peter shouted mid-sentence with surprising realization. The shocked Nightmare, as he was put into another bloody fit from surprise. As he hacked away, Peter pondered his stroke of brilliance.

"The reaction would be the same…Any other foreigner…" he repeated, toying with his glasses. He was sure he right when he said the others loved Alice cheaply, but if he could use that to his advantage, he could have her in his arms in no time!

He contemplated and came across a possible solution. If the role holders were to come across another foreigner, they would no doubt fall equally for her as they had for Alice. If their hearts became distracted, he would have more chances to prove to Alice that it was HE who should be her heart's holder. It was a brilliant plan indeed. He gloated to himself; he WAS the Queen's Prime Minister after all. Such deviations were not beneath his brilliant mind. He was just surprised he hadn't thought of something like this sooner.

Now the question remained how to lure another foreigner into the current game? Alice was rare enough and he would need help again from Nightmare to accomplish this feat. He doubted there were any existing outsiders at the time that would stumble upon Wonderland willingly, knowing full well the rules of this world. Another would have to be drawn in. His thoughts immediately went to how he head brought his sweet Alice into Wonderland.

"I could start another game!" he let out triumphantly at last, very proud of himself.

"Are you insane?" Nightmare questioned, looking at him as if he were crazy. "How can you possibly bring another foreigner into this world? And even if you did, another game would seriously upset the balance more than the first one has! Honestly Peter, have you no sense?"

"Another game of the Heart should be simple enough to start," Peter continued, seeming to pay no attention the Incubus' reason.

Peter tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But the problem is which foreigner to bring. Of course no one could be as remarkable as my Alice could, but then again they still need be to be interesting enough to draw the attention of the others. Hey Nightmare," He turned to the dream controller completely serious and asked blankly, "You watch a lot of possible Outsiders, is there anyone you could recommend?"

Nightmare glared harshly at the White Rabbit as he dabbed the remaining blood from his mouth with a handkerchief.

"What makes you think I'll help you again." He replied icily, "I've been through enough trouble with your first little game as it is."

Peter's eyes turned desperate and he broke down back on his knees, begging the dream demon for assistance.

"You have to help me!" he pled. "This is my only chance to win Alice's heart, and if the others will play dirty then so must I on my part! I beg of you!"

Nightmare just stared him down silently, not giving him an answer. Another thought crossed Peter's mind and his ears perked in realization at the idea.

"You could bring anyone here you wanted!" Peter added, hoping his reasoning would spark Nightmare's interest. Nightmare merely raised on eyebrow, still saying nothing.

"You're playing Alice's game too" Peter continued. "And you said yourself I'm running out of time. Well what about yourself? You can't think she would fall for you either, can you?"

Nightmare took great offense to this, and turned away and huffed, not wanting to make eye contact with the vexing rabbit. Bu still he persisted.

"You might loose at Alice's, but with another foreigner the competition will be cut in half and you could capture them all to your liking!" Peter encouraged. He hoped his sueding argument on Nightmare's behalf was getting through, then he could activate his plan.

At this Nightmare turned against face the rabbit and expressed almost, interest in his face.

"Anyone I choose huh?"

His thoughts wandered to the dreams of a certain individual whom he had inspected some time ago.

Even though individuals may linger in different worlds, Nightmare was able to connect to all people's dreams with his power. It didn't matter whether they were in a different countries or different time paradoxes. All they had to do was sleep and he was connected to each and every one of them. This enabled him to search subconscious minds for hints of possible Outsiders who may come about. The qualities that made an Outsider were unique, and they could be found mainly in the individual's dreams. An Outsider would have to be special and have an open mind that connected to places like Wonderland and other strange worlds. Their dreams would create the image of the world and transport them there, as if they had seen it themselves. These usually hinted at the characteristics of creativity and daring, which were ideal in being an affective Outsider.

The individual whom he had watched had been the embodiment of just that. In this girl's dreams, he had never seen some one with a brighter connection to the world of the strange. They would show her everything. And Wonderland was a familiar sight. He had grown fond of her personality through her dreams, and her connection made her very special. So special he tried several times to inhabit her dreams and give her more in depth visions of Wonderland, as a hint for her to visit. Most of these attempts were unsuccessful because of the boundaries of his world, but sometimes a message would slip through, and that had delighted the both of them.

Unfortunately, the individual he had in mind had been disconnected some time ago, and her inaccessibility had him quite sullen. However, there was a replacement that could substitute for her quite perfectly. It was another, less special individual.

"Very well," Nightmare finally said after torturing the rabbit with much of his silence. "I shall assist you in your new game. However, in this game, the player is mine to choose and all the rules are mine to dictate. Understand?"

Peter nodded his head pathetically, great hope and excitement springing in his face. Nightmare rolled his eyes and merely gestured to an image that was appearing in the swirling clouds around them. He showed this to Peter so the rabbit could see the inner workings of his own plan at hand.

It was of a girl, who looked about 17 or 18. She had dark caramel skin and jet black hair that went past her shoulders in restless curls. Her eyes were a startling silver color, but they looked cold and mournful as she gazed emptily at a piece of paper in her hands. Her eyes studied what on the sheet hungrily, and soon hot tears began pouring down her face. This continued and the girl was now reduced to a weeping fit, clutching the piece of paper to her chest and sobbing pitifully. Apparently, whatever she had read, was nothing she had ever wanted to realize in this world.

"This is your choice?" Peter White asked curiously, wondering how such a depressing looking girl could possibly be material for an Outsider.

Nightmare tsk-ed him with a smile, waving his finger in mock lecture.

"Now-Now Peter, you of all people should know not to judge based on mere first impressions."

Peter scowled in the opposite direction and Nightmare continued explaining.

"You see this girl?" he gestured rhetorically to the girl in the image who seemed easily reduced by the page's contents. "This girl is going to the method of acting my plan out. She hold the traits for opening another door to Wonderland."

"She hardly seems special." Peter said skeptically. "Her aura seems more reserved than typical Outsiders, aside from this dramatic fit you're showing me. I can see it in her eyes. And I don't sense the dreamlike connection many Outsiders posses either. Why her Nightmare?"

"Because she is still a link to some one who WAS connected. Besides, she possesses a very important quality to manifest herself in Wonderland." Nightmare said. "Think Peter, how was Alice able to be brought to Wonderland?"

"By my love of course!" the rabbit answered without hesitation.

Nightmare sighed deeply, shaking his head. "What _else_ enabled her? As if that was a legitimate reason in the first place."

Peter only sulked at the rejection of his beliefs, so Nightmare answered for him.

"It was her desire. She desired a place such as Wonderland to exist deep within her heart. A place where she could be loved and wanted. She holds many connections, but that was the main reason she was able to come here."

This was the loophole other individuals who weren't as special as those born for the life of Wonderland to be a potential candidate for the Game of Heart. You had to have a wish for Wonderland to exist. Only those with a strong enough desire for that could create the connection between the two worlds to enter. This was how Alice had managed to create a place for herself and appear here. She had wished for a reality in which she was wanted.

But Alice was already here, and Nightmare had to pick a new piece to play with.

"The very same principles apply for this girl." Nightmare enthused. He pulled up another swirling imaged, a close up on the young woman's sad looking face.

"She may only hold within her second hand connections, but her want for the existence of Wonderland is incredibly powerful. Her otherworldly heart beats with this wish so deeply, that I do believe it's time we grant it to her."

He gazed at her and smiled slightly, remembering another wish he had taken his sweet time in finding a remedy to cure.

"She may just help me fulfill another desire I had taken interest in granting."

Peter looked confused, but before he could inquire Nightmare turned and hurried to wake up the rabbit so this whole plan could be put in motion.

"Now stop wasting time dreaming." He said annoyed. "Don't expect me to do everything just because I'm helping you. YOU'RE going to go out there and get that girl. Now will be just the right time."

Peter nodded and the dream world around them faded, a new hope glittering in Peter's eyes.

Meanwhile, Nightmare thought about the next phase of his plan.

"I believe seeing Julius will be in order now. The first state is to bring the girl here, but after that, I'm going to have to dig up that Looking Glass. Maybe Gray can do it for me…"

As both beings from Wonderland faded back to the real world, the Outsider in question faded into her own state for dreams.

Dreams that were heavy with sense and imagery and nostalgia she knew should not belong to her. These were not supposed to be her dreams. They belonged to some one else. But since she was the only one left, they had to go somewhere.

With a tear-streaked face, she curled up in the darkness of her room with the newly resurfaced letter cradled against her chest. She felt so alone, but also couldn't help the strange feeling that somewhere…somehow…she was being discussed…

A/N-Welcome one and all to my first attempt at a HnKnA Story! I am incredibly obsessed with Alice in Wonderland, so of course something like this couldn't evade me. Be warned. I enjoy creating characters that aren't supposed to be there, but don't worry! I make them fit…also…there are quite a few of them. If you ever get confused, please message me and I'll be happy to clear things up. I'm not sure how this will turn out…but let's just see shall we! I hope you all enjoy it. I tried incredibly hard to create something unique here. I can honestly say you won't see anything like it in the HnKnA section. My mind goes places most others don't…


	2. In Remembrance

Chapter Two-In Remembrance

Major character perspective shift about to occur. It's relevant. Please bare with me.

An after image lingers in the Clock Tower Territory, waiting for it's next assignment from the Clock Maker. It has been waiting for a long time. Waiting for much more than an order. But as it waits, it reminisces in the dead of the night period.

As Julius Monrey works inhuman hours, repairing the hearts of Wonderland's replacements.

As the sweet foreigner Alice Liddel dreams in her neutral tower without care or true worry.

It waits, and it remembers.

I was one of the faceless. Therefore, it is an unspoken rule in Wonderland society that we are never to have any personal inhibitions. Our place is to see that the world of Wonderland is kept running for the Roleholders to continue the Game. We are unimportant. We contain no superior functionality and must pursue our lives in a purely animalistic and instinctive cycle. Any strong inner desires we have our taboo and would distract us from fulfilling our true purpose in the Game. That is, if it's even a purpose at all.

Well, I guess I broke the rule, because I had an inner desire.

I had a wanted something so baldly, I would have done anything to be wrapped within the warm embrace of its presence.

My desire was a man, and that man was Mafia Boss of the Hatter syndicate, Blood Dupre.

He was absolutely beautiful. Never had I seen an individual carry them selves with as much prestige and grace as Blood did, possibly not since her Majesty the Queen of Hearts. He was quite the charmer, and even if he floated among his enemies, it was with a hypnotizing aura.

The first time I laid eyes on him, it had been under the jurisdiction of Heart's Castle. I had been the personal assistant to the Queen's Prime Minister, Peter White.

He called me by a name, as to distinct me from all the other faceless maids since I served a purpose to him. Mary Anne he called me. In actuality, my name had been Marie Anya, but the Prime Minister could never remember nor bother to care about the more exotic namesake my faceless parents had given me. So Mary Anne it was.

But it had been under this position that my raging desire was born.

The sight of all my affections had come to talk business that day. Blood was visiting on neutral grounds in order to discuss territories with her Majesty the Queen. They came right in the throne room, and I was required to be by Peter's side in order to take memos for him during the meeting.

As he walked into the room, my clock almost stopped running completely. That beautiful face. It was not only a rare occurrence to have one, but to also possess one of such beauty that made it extraordinary. That ebony hair. Those electric blue-green eyes. That ever present smirk on his lips. It had been too much for me to handle.

He didn't notice me of course. Why would he? I was only a faceless servant, nothing of importance to anyone. Even Peter could replace me quickly if he so desired. I was just lucky he was never truly in the mood.

But I still had something that was important to me. That powerful infatuation was the only shred of individuality I had ever felt in my existence. Though I had a shred of vanity for several other reasons, this desire gave me my first feeling of substance.

From then on, whenever I heard my duties would involve being present in meetings with the Mafia boss, I would take notice to my faceless appearance even more than needed. The one thing I could take pride on the outside about, ever since I was a faceless child, had been my hair. Being that pawns in Wonderland had no features of their own, an exceptional head of hair was a certain level of distinction among them.

Mine was a dark rose red. It was long and shiny and fell in multiple glossy waves to the middle of my back. My parents had been so proud of me. Having a faceless child with such an unusually pretty feature. My father always told me that I never needed eyes. All my shine was in my hair.

After that I had been meticulous about keeping it long and beautiful always. It gave me purpose. I was easy to spot because of it. I'm sure the reason why Sir Peter had picked me for the assistant position was because I could be distinguished from the other simple dark haired maids, so my locks had saved my life.

But as pretty as my locks were, they got me nowhere with the sight of my desires. Even with every hair in place, every crease of my frilly servant's uniform straight and flattering, Blood Dupre never once looked my way.

Until the night of the ball that is.

It was one of the functions that her Majesty had been required to put on for the kingdom, all the territories invited as her guests. Faceless and Role holders coming together on equal ground for once. I was allowed to attend freely outside from some of the light serving I had to do.

Since it was required for Blood to attend, I had been meticulous about my attire that night.

I had befriended the head seamstress of the castle, the one that made Queen Vivaldi's daily attire. She had been so fond of me that she helped me construct an eye-catching dress for the occasion. It could not be as grand as Vivaldi's mind you, for I'm sure if I attempted to appear grander than her majesty it would have been off with both of our heads. But,5 it was still beautiful none the less.

It had been a strapless white lace dress, with the bodice of the outside lacing threaded with red ribbon. A lacy train flared out subtly as it hit my mid-thigh, to give the dress an impression of floating. White lace disconnected sleeves ran all the way up to my elbows. They were as long as my dress and the sleeves flowed like wings every time I made even the slightest indication with my arms.

Crimson dancing shoes clicked underneath my heels and ceramic rose earrings donned in my ears. Pale rouge blushed against my cheeks and my lips were painted a ruby red. If only I'd had eyes to paint, then my look would have been complete.

My hair had been the most outstanding feature, I had made sure. I wrapped some of it a half bun, and let the rest fall down into cascading waves and curls. Curling bangs framed my face delicately, and tucked into the bun were hundreds of ruby pins holding it in place. The swirling half bun was fashioned look like a rose itself, and an actual rose was tucked into it's base for good measure.

I had heard Blood Dupre had a certain fascination for roses. He always donned them on his hatted attire, and always carried one with him to woo any female individuals. It was also rumored that on the Hatter Estate was entire maze full of them. These were only rumors of course, but still, I was determined to draw his eye with any romantic accent I could muster, so roses it was.

When my appearance had been properly constructed for that night, the seamstress said that I looked like an angel. With a head full of rose petals. I had laughed from flattery at the old woman's description, but it gave me hope in the slightest.

So there I was, a vision of white and roses, standing pitifully on the dance floor as I prayed for Blood Dupre to ask for my hand in a single waltz. All the current Roleholders were in attendance, and they danced with many faceless ladies of the court. It wasn't like there were many other choices besides, and it was exceptional and impressive etiquette to be seen with some one on your arm, so it wasn't unacceptable to be seen courting a well dressed faceless socialite around the dance floor.

I still had to be attendant to Sir Peter through out the night, and he had me running around doing errands continuously, so I never really had a chance to look for Blood. All of the other faceless individuals gawked at my appearance, but the Roleholders hardly seemed phased at all. Just my luck.

But it was with that one clumsy incident when my pitiful existence had been changed forever.

Sir Peter had demanded I get him a drink, and I was running as so not to anger him. I carried two different wineglasses in my hands (so he could have a choice of course), and there fore had no way of holding back my gracefully floating dress train. I had accidentally stepped on it in my rush and was about to trip, thankfully turning the corner in an abandoned hallway, so I wouldn't lose my head for having an accident happen in front of company.

But as I felt myself falling and saw the crystal slipping from my hands in slow motion, I saw nimble fingers catch the falling glasses gracefully out of my hands as I fell to the floor.

The wine had been spilt in my incompetence, and I crawled away from a rapidly growing red puddle on the floor so it would not ruin my beautiful dress.

In a crumpled heap of lace, I looked up, and stared wonder eyed as the Mafia Boss Blood Dupre was standing before me, contently examining the glasses which he had saved from my grasp.

"I had to rescue the crystal of course." Blood said as if he were talking to no one at all. My mouth fell open from the aura of his regality. "These are horribly irreplaceable, and Vivaldi would throw a fit and start executing the entire ball if she found out some of her priceless wine glasses had been destroyed. That's an accident I just find inconvenient."

I couldn't take my eyeless face away from him. I tried to manage a thank you or an apology, but no words came out. My lips were simply gaped.

"Now who do we have here?" he asked carelessly with a smirk, setting the now empty glasses onto a table against the wall, then taking a few steps around me.

"That hair of yours is certainly interesting." He added, taking one of my long wavy curls and running it slowly between his fingers before he let it spring back and cascade down. "As if you were a fresh rose just recently plucked from the castle gardens."

My entire body shivered from the light contact.

"It was most troublesome to be stopped on my way back from the tea room. You are quite lucky that I have a certain fascination for roses." He added into my ear like a forbidden whisper, letting his fingers mindlessly toy with the rose shaped earring around my ears. "Otherwise, I may just have killed you with out a second thought."

"S-Sir Peter…" I murmured out in failure, as if trying to give the reason for this disaster in my hurry. "I'm his assistant. H-He demanded I get him a drink and-"

My pathetic ramblings were broken off by Blood chuckling subtly, in an almost taunting manner.

"Well, perhaps your fear is justified." He mused. "White certainly wields his role with terror, despite his underlying incompetence. But I suppose the question is now…"

He turned his eyes directly on me.

"Just what are we going to do with you?" he asked, running a hand along the lace rose choker against my throat, as if contemplating whether to merely caress it or wrap his hands around it and restrict my air flow.

I shivered once more from terror and desire.

"It would be quite tragic, for me to destroy a flower this curiously interesting." He pondered aloud. "At least before its petals start to wilt on their own accord, wouldn't you say?"

Believing these would be my last words, I worked the most courage I had ever amounted and spoke one sentence that I hoped would convey all the sentiments that drove my existence.

"I blossom only to appease the beauty of my beholder." I said breathlessly, waiting for a verdict of sweet mercy or sweet death by his tantalizing hands.

He stared at me curiously, as I'm certain no faceless had ever dared to speak something with such intimate underlines in his presence.

I valued my final seconds in his aura

, but when death did not come, I turned to witness him chuckling once more, but this time amused.

"You may be one of the most intriguing pawns I have ever encountered." He said with a satisfied smirk, towering above me with such majesty.

I seized his words graciously, my clock cycling in overtime. If he had pressed a gun to my head at that exact moment, and still decided to kill me "without a second thought," I would have died in nothing short of ecstasy.

Just then, another faceless servant of the castle came turning around the hall, attending to some duty just as feverishly as I had been.

Blood turned his gaze and stopped the servant.

"You there, faceless." Blood called, stopping the servant terrified in his tracks.

He turned and bowed humbly to the Role holder.

"Is there anything I can do for you Mr. Dupre? I hope you are enjoying yourself at our Majesty's function. What can I do to make your evening more comfortable?"

The Hatter ignored the servant's groveling and merely asked him,

"Are you attending to any important duties?"

"I am always in service to her majesty, but I would be happy to accommodate anything you ask as soon as-"

"You have a new duty now." Blood interrupted authoritatively. "First, I want you to see that this mess is cleaned up and these crystals taken care of." He pointed to the wineglasses he had set onto the table before he had begun inspecting me.

"After that," Blood continued, "I want you to make it your first priority that all the Prime Minister's needs are met for the rest of the evening. Starting that his thirst is quenched. Do I make myself clear?"

The servant stared at me, for I'm sure he recognized me and knew that these were supposed to be my regular obligations. He noticed a possessive hand of Blood's toying with a strand of my red hair as he dictated, and noticed the dazed and helpless demeanor I held as he did so.

He gave me a look, which may be hard for non-faceless individuals to recognize, but his mouth curved into an expression I detected was either extreme pity…or disgust.

"I asked you if I made myself clear, faceless." Blood repeated in a petrifying tone, breaking the servant's concentration on my face. "I don't think I should have to repeat myself."

"Of course Mr. Dupre." The faceless servant agreed immediately, and after giving me one last glance, ran off to do the Roleholders bidding.

Once he scurried off down the hall, Blood turned back to me, and extended his hand in a satisfied smirk.

"Now that the little matter of your obligations are handled, why don't we continue this evening a bit more pleasantly." He said.

I latched onto his hand like a lifeline, but still couldn't bring myself to rise.

"You wish for my company Mr. Dupre?" I asked softly in doubt.

He smirked once more.

"As I said before, you are an intriguing faceless." He added, and pulled me forcefully to my feet so I stumbled upward helpless against him. "An exotic example of a species, that is in nature, useless and mundane."

I felt his eyes sweep over the mermaid cut of my lace dress that accented my best features.

"I enjoy being in the possession of rare and exotic things no one else can have." He said, slipping a possessive hand around my waist while another secured my chin as he examined my featureless face, as if inspecting something before his final decision of purchase.

"So shall we go make use of your beauty while it is still relevant, my exotic rose?" he questioned, but I knew it was an order.

I nodded eagerly, and could not have been more thrilled with his domination.

He then continued to lead my helpless form out onto the dance floor, and lead me in a waltz I had wished would last forever. Now that I was on the arm of Blood Dupre, everyone was looking, and it was then that I felt I had truly tasted what it was like to be captivating. To be important. It was addicting and intoxicating. It was my sweetest and deepest dreams come true.

However, they would quickly turn to nightmares, and send me spiraling toward my end.

I had spent all night on his arm. We danced forever, and at one point during the night he had mentioned that dancing was getting particularly dull, and he requested that I accompany him to the tea rooms for a final cup of his favorite kind of blackened tea before the night was over. I knew that nearly all the guests were out on the floor for the final numbers, and my lungs froze in anticipation for such a chance to finally be alone with him.

I followed him blindly, floating beside him as I was led into one of the empty rooms, and he continued to do anything but drink tea.

As soon as the door closed, that hungry gaze that had ran over the sillouhette of my dress and seductive whisper that had caressed against my ears became permanent. I found myself pushed against a chaise lounge as he skillfully continued to pursue an agenda he clearly had in mind.

I said nothing, he gave me no opportunity. I was a marionette at his disposal.

My arms pinned helplessly above my head as his lips roamed wherever he pleased. As he toyed and pulled at my red hair like he was trying to rip out the rose I fashioned in the back of it and claim it for his own. As I sighed submissively, wanting nothing more than this exact moment for my entire existence. As his hands expertly undid the red lacing one by one, loosening my dress in order to make it easier for him-

"Blood! Are you in here? I've been looking for you. The Ball is over so we need to-Oh God I'm sorry I didn't know!"

His subordinate, the March Hare, had burst into the room without knocking and shattered the entire moment. I had never wanted to kill another individual so much.

"Honestly Elliot, don't you know better to knock." Blood said in an irritated voice, retracting him self away from me and sitting on the edge of the chair casually as he if had just been perched their drinking tea the entire time. "As you can see, I was currently engaged in something."

He made a slight gesture toward my breathless and disheveled form as if I had been a stack of paperwork left piling on his desk.

"I'm really sorry." The hare said blushing, not being able to look in our direction. "It's just that now that the ball is over, the Queen is getting really irritated with guests from other territories that are still in the castle. She's already had several executed because they weren't going out the door fast enough."

"But um…" He let his eyes roam to Blood, and then briefly to even me, apologetically. "I could just guard the door and let you two…um…continue…?"

"That won't be necessary Elliot." The Hatter said with a sigh, getting up from the chair and straightening himself shortly so he looked completely flawless. "I was growing tired of this place anyway."

Without even looking back at me, he began to walk out of the room.

I suddenly panicked as the nightmare began to manifest.

"N-No!" I cried out as I reached a desperate hand toward him, hair wildly in my face and clutching my dress against my chest with a free hand.

"Please!" I begged, not sure just what I was pleading for since their was so much.

He took the time to stop and look back at me. He smirked, and it was as if he was mocking my despondency.

"Till next time, my exotic rose." He chuckled lightly. "Let's hope then, you are still as intriguing."

And with that he merely walked out, cruelly ripping the illusion I had created out of my shaking hands.

I had realized that in my blissful state by his side, he had never even once asked for my name. He had simply called me his "exotic rose" all night, as if I was the flower fashioned to his lapel. The sick and twisted fact remained that I cared for nothing more than what I could be to him, even if it was decoration.

I wanted to be useful to him. I wanted to be intriguing. And now that I had been given a taste of all the things I had longed for, all my pathetic daydreams paled in comparison. It was like a powerful narcotic I had carelessly been exposed to, and now I was addicted.

I spent the following days in the castle attending to my duties half-heartedly. My world was a dark and blurry haze. Nothing mattered. The only time I valued was when Peter's needs were met and I was allowed to sleep, so I could dream about my heart's desire, and our moment that had been oh-so-cruelly real. Other than that, I merely wandered, wallowing from the withdrawal of my drug.

And entirely worse altogether, I was slowly slipping into madness.

My mind had tragically seized onto the words he had spoken as if they were a binding promise between us.

"_Till next time, my exotic rose…" _

"_Till next time…." _

"_Next time…" _

"_Next time…" _

They played repeatedly in my head, over and over again. The fading sound of his voice consuming my thoughts until nothing else could be compiled through the cavities in my brain.

I clung to those words desperately. Obsessively. My constant wishing and desiring breathing hope, life, and reality into them that had never existed to begin with.

Of course I would see him again. He had promised me.

"_Till next time…" _

He had said.

Of course there would be a next time. Why shouldn't there be?

I was interesting. He had told me so.

I was intriguing. I was rare. I was exotic. His exotic rose.

_**His. His. His. **_

In my mind now, I was his possession, rare and exotic. But I wanted more.

I would not be satisfied with just being decoration. I wanted to be useful to him. My species was "useless and mundane," and I couldn't be deserving of carrying on by his side if I was useless, now could I?

There was no way I could be of any use to him still in the service of Heart's Castle, so I decided to fix that.

I got permission to set out to the village one night, to run errands for Peter. Once my foot had stepped past Heart's Castle territory, I started running and I never stopped. Not until I could see the outline of the Hatter syndicate mansion clearly and beautifully in the distance.

It was unheard of for pawns to change their loyalty of the territory they were assigned. It could mean death, or other dangerous consequences. However, I was at the point where my hunger to be near Blood burned so intensely, that in order for me to achieve mental and physical peace I had to satiate it or seek death as my only other option.

As I approached my destination, one of those horrible consequences made it self evident to me. The Bloody Twins of Wonderland, employed as the Hatter's gate keepers, stood lazily against the gate in the dark of night. A look in their eyes as if they were just begging for something to kill.

I had merely run out of the castle, and I was still in my Heart's uniform. Also, I was faceless, therefore no more meaningful to them than a practice dummy. I was doomed.

Still, I had determination. I had accepted death as an option. Maybe if I even caused enough trouble, Blood would be called to come out to see what everything was about. Then I may get to see him once more before my eminent death.

It sounded like an all right pool of options. Still I would try to stay alive. For as long as I could. I approached the gate and didn't stop. Some part of me hoped that if I asked for Blood, and even explained my reason, the twins would give me a chance to get past.

However, that look in their eyes spoke otherwise. Not to mention they were ruthless children. Why would they stop and listen to me?

I still had to try.

When it comes to faceless, many of us have either been basically trained or were naturally able to be agile. Consider it a mutation in a species set to live in an environment where there are constant predators, and they are the constant prey of a bullet. I had not been formally trained to wield any weapons at Heart Castle, but I could certainly hold my own when it came to avoiding and evading. It came from my practice of dodging Sir Peter's usual mindless flurry of bullets whenever something displeased him.

I was good at being helpless and surviving.

The Twins spotted me, and after sharing a devious and grateful smirk between them, came straight at me with axes bared. My objective was to try and make it past the gate. Climb it…do whatever I had to. If I could do that, my chances of seeing Blood would increase tenfold.

Unfortunately, the Twins had no intention of letting that happen, and as I was trying to scamper up the iron gate after narrowly avoiding the first of their attacks, one of their axes caught in the heavy fabric of my skirt, dragging me down off the gate, digging into my leg and nearly ripping my dress clean off.

I clung to the bars, trying to stop my fall as they reeled in their prey, when at the last minute I spotted Blood and The March Hare sitting contently out in a small garden patio not too far from the gate.

As the blade pierced the flesh from my hips to my thighs, a brilliant idea came to mind. I utilized the excruciating pain and as the scream ripped from my throat I tried hard to morph the words I wanted around it.

"No! Blood!" I howled like a banshee, making sure that if needed every territory would have been able to hear me desperately cry his name.

A second axe dug into my other side, drawing blood from my shoulder all the way down my torso. I shrieked again, not being able to make it anything less than animalistic.

As I crashed to the ground, I smirked inwardly, knowing my commotion would at least be enough to draw the two Roleholders to the gate in record time. It was certainly enough to cause the Bloody Twins to ponder momentarily and cease their deadly attacks.

"Did you hear that Dee? That faceless person called for the boss!"

"Why would she do that? She's not one of our faceless. Her clothes are all wrong."

"Let's just kill her. It's not like she's important anyway."

"But Dum, if we kill some one who the Boss might be expecting, he could get mad, and we'll get a pay cut."

"But if we don't do our job, that stupid blond bunny will rat on us, and we'll still get a pay cut!"

"I guess you're right. How important could a crazy faceless lady be? Kay, let's do it at the same time."

As they chattered amongst themselves, it was hard for me to fight the waves of black sweeping my vision. I was losing a lot of blood already, and the axe cut was deep enough that the pain and shock had paralyzed my entire body.

The twins smiled with their axes poised above me, and I writhed in a greater agony then my painful ending. But as if some one had been listening to my clocks deepest desires, a voice spoke that revived my hope.

"What was that horrendous noise? I'm trying to enjoy a nice evening cup of tea, and it sounds like you're torturing animals out here. Haven't I told you two to try and kill more quietly during the night time cycles?"

It was him! It was Blood! The mere sound of his voice seemed to resurrect me, and a rush of adrenaline seized my body as my senses came back in high resolution for brief periods. My brain was fighting my body so I was able to intake the sweet sound that had been echoing in my skull for too many time periods.

Standing there, a displeased look on his face as he toyed absent-mindedly with his cane, scolding the twins; he was just as beautiful as I had remembered.

"Blood, can't we just replace them with guard dogs like I've been asking? A pair of Dobermans would be ten times more effective than these two. Not to mention ten times more intelligent…"

My eyes darted and I saw the March Hare by Blood's side.

"Shut up you Newbie Hare! Why don't we just get a dog to replace you instead!"

"Yeah! A dog is way better than a stupid rabbit!"

The Twin's were not happy.

"How many damn times do I have to tell you that I am NOT a rabbit! Besides, I should blast your asses for making so much damn noise in the middle of the night cycle when you're supposed to be doing your job!"

Apparently neither was the Hare.

"We were doing our job!" the Twins said defending themselves. "This faceless just started rushing towards the gate like a crazy person and tried to get over it, so we stopped her. And we were just about to kill her before you stopped us!"

My eyes were focused on Blood the entire time, just drinking him in. Suddenly though, my body wasn't agreeing with my injuries and I started coughing up blood intensely.

Blood turned his head and looked at me inquisitively. The March Hare did as well, examining my Heart's Castle uniform as I continued hacking away.

"She's the one that made all this noise?" he asked, running a piece of my tattered skirt between his fingers. "She's not even a soldier, just a Heart's Castle maid. What does she want with this place?"

I merely reached out to Blood helplessly, still coughing, afraid if I didn't express myself now it would all be over soon.

"Please! P-Please!" I cried out as my body starting burning in pain again. "L-let me stay! I wish t-to be yours! A-nything you want! Just let me stay!"

Blood looked at me intensely. As if he was bewildered that I was making such an obscure request.

"And why on earth would I think of doing that?" he asked, his words heavy and scoffing.

I figured he had not recognized me. I must have been completely undistinguishable from the faceless rose angel he had met at the ball, as tattered and covered in blood as I was. I then decided to try to reach him with my words. Repeat something no ordinary faceless would ever have said to him.

"Because I-I" I began coughing once more in my confession, but marched on through my words. "I-bloom-o-only –to-appease- my beholder."

His eyes widened.

"Have we met, faceless?" he asked acutely, using his cane to lift up my chin, as if he were supposed to identify something in my featureless face.

"The ball!" I enlightened desperately with a choked sob. "Your exotic rose!"

He had forgotten me. I was distraught. I knew one little memory could mean the difference between life and my execution.

Something twitched in memory in his face, but other than that he merely sighed, and gave the March Hare a look as if I was causing 100 times more trouble than a faceless would ever be worth. The Hare nodded and looked back at me with almost pity, and then began to withdraw a gun as if to end my delusions.

My body rejected this fate, and a surge of adrenaline rushed once more through me as I found the strength to throw myself forward at the feet of the Hatter. If I were to be killed, it would be by his hands alone.

"Wait! Information! I can give you information!" I cried in a pleading tone, gripping the bloodied grass beneath my fingertips. "Weak points and entries into Heart's Castle! And Peter White! I was his assistant. I know all his weaknesses! Every single one!"

He finally stared me down, looking me directly in the eyes.

"You've betrayed your territory just for the chance to come here and pledge some obscure loyalty to me?" he said in a challenging tone, but the bewilderment returning. "I don't know whether I should feel flattered or turn you in."

I couldn't even form words anymore. I just nodded pathetically, reaching up and gripping desperately the edge of the long overcoat he was wearing that evening.

"Still it is quite interesting that a faceless has gone through this much trouble to stir things up." He added thoughtfully. " And if what you say is true, you may become quite useful. At least for the mean time."

My heart soared. Interesting. Useful. All the things I wished to be. All the things I was sure I could be to him. He had said the words himself. It was all true. It all had to be true.

I noticed his eyes run over my blood soaked red hair, nostalgia in his eyes. The cane probed and parted my disheveled locks by his feet, examining them as if had seen them before.

"Anything…" was all I could meekly repeat in response. My voice was growing faint again. His beauty could only power my body for so long before my physical weakness took back control. The darkness was returning in my peripheral vision.

"Very well," he concluded. "I find this an intriguing enough situation that I will permit it to happen for now. You can stay, wandering rose, if you can survive that is."

He finished the sentiment with light chuckle in his voice, as if doubting how long I could actually hold on after the Twin's attacks. Little did he know he had given me all the affirmation in this world to fight with every fiber in my body. Even as I watched him walk away toward the gate back into the manor, the darkness finally catching up and suddenly dominating my vision.

"Take her into the manor Elliot. See that she gets fixed, if she's still fixable. And try not to get any blood on the new carpets…" were the last words I'd heard from him before being swallowed into what I could describe as a black, numb and cold sea.

I had woken up slowly to the sight of several faceless medics of the Hatter mansion and the March Hare hovering in a room around me. My body throbbed in pain where I was bandaged, but I couldn't be happier. I was still alive, my clock still running in my own body. I was in the territory with the one person who meant more to me than my own life. I wasn't just another faceless, I had managed to be significant enough to survive.

Once I had been able to move without writhing in agony, Blood and his higher ups had requested an audience with me. The Hatter maids had dolled me up, and I went into his office with nothing but my utter devotion. I spilled every secret I knew of Heart's Castle as if it was steaming hot and begging to be released from my mouth. When I began to expose Sir Peter, Blood asked me to recap how I knew all of this, which led me into retelling the story of our first meeting.

The conversation turned awkward when I tried to briefly describe our parting and my reasons for coming to him, but he cut me off before I could finish. There was some glimmer of remembrance in his eyes, but he played it off well as he ordered the Twins and the Hare who were in the room with us to leave and make use of the information I had just provided to the other Mafia members.

Once they were gone, I had found myself in the precarious (yet blissful) position of being locked underneath Blood's frame while he toyed with my red hair in his amusement.

"So interesting…" he murmured against the skin of my neck when lips were not pressed against it. "Quite interesting now that I am in possession of you, hmm exotic rose?"

He then proceeded to find out if I was still as "intriguing" as when I'd last seen him.

I couldn't give you the number of time periods I had lasted at the Hatter Mansion. It all seemed to blur together.

Even after many of my secrets had been revealed to him, Blood must of have decided to keep me around because he found my infatuation entertaining. We most certainly had plenty of time to catch up on what had eluded me in the tearoom, and I was always dressed up and situated close by him. Either seated right next to him during tea parties, on his arm for social functions involving other territories, or perched on his lap when his work was piled up on his desk and he was in need of a convenient distraction.

I spoke rarely, and he still never referred to me by my real name. I was always simply, his exotic rose.

His. His. His. .

I had always been an abnormally striking faceless, but now that I was the Mafia Boss' current fancy, I became incredibly more striking to those around me.

It felt so good. It felt so fulfilling to be his accessory.

During my time at the Hatter estate I had also developed an odd friendship with the March Hare, Elliot. He was Blood's number two, and fiercely devoted to him maybe even more so than I was, if such a thing were possible. Since I wanted nothing more than to please Blood every waking moment with everything I did, I came to him frequently, asking him about Blood's preferences or irritations. Though first I needed him to warm up to me, that was a relatively easy task.

Since I was well educated in learning how to please trigger happy rabbits (as much he would protest to that title), it took me no time at all to get on his good side. Though a few specially made carrot cakes may have been a contributing factor.

His advice was invaluable to me, since he was my direct link to Blood. And once Blood had established his interest in me, Elliot had taken a certain amount of effort to treat me better than he would regular faceless. In enemy territories he would look after me slightly if bullet fire may be a reality (though to be fair I was normally attached to Blood's arm…). Sometimes we would just have friendly casual conversations when the Hatter was too busy for either of us, though 95% of the time they would always take a subject turn to Blood and our dedication to him.

Still, it was nice. In my reckless passion for Blood Dupre, Elliot March was almost like a safe haven for me. A life line that I could occasionally grab hold of when I felt the pressure I had put on myself, carrying on as a moth hovering closely to it's most beloved flame. Elliot was nice…

It was a shame what had happened…

What had happened to everything…

But in the end there was only one reason for my existence.

I lived only for Blood Dupre.

And that's how I ended up dying.

It was during a simple tea party at the Hatter Mansion. I was by Blood's side as always, Elliot right across from him.

Then suddenly, an ambush.

Heart's Castle soldiers burst through the hedge mazes enclosing the private tea garden near the outskirts of the Hatter Mansion. The attackers looked as if they were out for blood.

I assume now that Heart's Castle didn't take too kindly to the recent unexplained slaughter of soldiers and infiltration of territory that the Mafia seemed to be able to achieve strategically since my escape from the castle. The casualty number would be high. Unfortunately, I would not be around to find out the end.

I had been struck out with the first gunshot.

I had heard it first.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw it being aimed by a faceless castle recruit straight at Blood before he could have time to react. Without thinking, I instinctively through myself across the table and in front of him as a human shield, even before Elliot had a chance.

It all happened in slow motion.

I heard the desperate cry that ripped from my throat.

The faint scent of black tea and roses hovered in the air around for me for the last time.

I heard Elliot's voice call out my name…my real name…for the first time…as the bullet passed through my chest.

I glanced weakly up after being hit, and I caught a glimpse of Blood's bewildered eyes, those hypnotizing electric eyes, as they examined me curiously from above.

The bullet didn't hit me in a direct vital spot, but it had pierced through what I assumed to be one of my lungs. Immediate medical attention wasn't an option, especially for a faceless concubine of Blood Dupre, so I was doomed to death in a matter of minutes.

I took one last look at Blood, hoping he would say something, anything. He did nothing but look down at me thoughtfully, shrug, and then transform his cane into a machine gun and deliver the Heart's Castle ambush hell on earth.

I saw Elliot jump up and start firing. The Twin's were having a hay day with their axes. Every servant was armed with a pair of pistols or a shotgun, many falling dutifully, as was their place in Wonderland.

I couldn't talk. I could barely even breath. The only thing I seemed to be able to do in my last moments was bleed and die slowly as I watched the battle in faded color.

I had lived only for Blood Dupre, and in the end, I was nothing to him.

At my last breath, I thought I would have been happy just being near Blood, but now I was not satisfied.

Foolishly I had fought against my fate as a faceless, and I got nothing in return.

I wanted more. I had sacrificed so much, and now I wanted more. I wanted to be more useful than a one-time bullet shield. I wanted to end significantly, and this did not feel so.

"I want-" I tried to form on my lips, but I couldn't finish the whisper.

I fought to stay awake, but a heavy weight felt like it was pressing on my body. Pressing me to just sleep. It pulled me in, and it was as if I was pulled through the pool of blood that had now circled my form and into that familiar, numb, black sea.

This time, I would not be waking back up.

I'm not sure when my exact moment of death had been, but it had not been before my last dream as I was hovering in-between the realm of life and eternal sleep.

"You're very intriguing." I heard a voice say in the black dream realm. "Though I know you've been told that before. I don't normally visit the dreams of many faceless, but yours had such a strong passionate pull, I couldn't help my curiosity."

A flash of the body that accompanied the voice shone in the darkness.

"The Incubus…" I breathed in realization, for I knew of no one in Wonderland who would be able to enter my dreams at will.

"Yes, Yes. I know who I am." He waved off, but his face grew into a sly smile. "What I'm intrigued to know is what it is that you want."

"I want a second chance." I answered more easily than I had in the real world. "I have one passion. I have one purpose. And my only desire is that in my next reincarnation I have a chance to fulfill that purpose."

My voice came out in a plea, but I wondered what use it was. The pull into the dark sea was even stronger, and my own dream like thoughts were hard to form any more. It was over. Still…I had felt relieved to share my last want with some one, as trivial as it was.

"It may not be over just yet." The Incubus said to me suddenly, the sly smile still lingering on his face. "We'll see what possibilities you have."

I wanted to ask him what exactly he was talking about, but before I could even muster up a thought, my last vision was of his fading form, and I sunk further and finally into the blackness.

Right then, my cycle in that replacement was over, and I was assimilated into the being I am now.

I am an after image. Therefore, I am one the dark shapeless life forces of Wonderland. We serve as subordinate beings to the current role holders in the game, whether it's assisting the Clock Maker in his role in our reincarnation, or the Prison Warden in his role with enforcement of the rules that had led to our demise in the first place.

We have no shape of our own. No vessel. No life. No purpose, other than what we are dictated to do.

The one thing we do have is memories. Only in the after image state do all the pieces come together. All the pointless experiences are recalled before we are shoved into one random body after the next, with a new clock...a new section of time to occupy.

Some times I recall, reflect. Sometimes after images are tempted to try to find a way to do things differently. Amusingly see if one experience after the next can build a change in this cycle. But that is never the case. It is pointless.

When you are reborn, you wake up blind, and only repeat what instinct has dictated for you in this world.

However, this recent life…I continue to remember. There was a spark in this memory that is rare and unique compared to every other cycle I've been through. There was unique passion.

It had failed horribly. I was forced to realize and succumb to my role. Forced to realize that nothing had changed. I was still an unimportant animal being forced through the slaughter again and again to continue to feed the appetite of the ancient Game of this World.

But in the end…I had been un-satisfied. I had wanted more purpose. I had felt an entitled yearning and desire to fulfill something, even it be in the next life. I had wanted.

Our one sole purpose as an after image is to wait, and to become reincarnated.

Well I have been waiting. Much longer than I possibly should have been.

But I have been promised that next reincarnation, will be different. Quite different. I have sold my next soul for the purpose of an experiment.

I am still unsatisfied. I am restless.

But the next time I am reborn, so too, will be that passion I have clung to.

I will break the rule. I will be taboo. But in the end, I will get what I want.

All I'm waiting on is for the final piece. One reflection. And then I shall wake.

AN:I'm alive! Fancy that. I'm actually surprised THIS is the story I updated first after my FF hiatus because of school, but to be honest I've had some of this written for a while, I just needed to break it up and finish it up.

So about this chapter…I know…I know…I threw another random character at you guys, but to be fair I did forewarn you in chapter one. Let me know what you think! The plot is about to thicken and I'm about to start juggling! Cue up the circus music!

3 Tasia's Endless Dreams


	3. Empty Reflection

Chapter Three-Mocking Shadows

Vianna Eden stood stoically in front of the mirror, putting the finishing touches on her appearance. Normally, she wouldn't have been this meticulous, but today was special. Today it had to be done right.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her empty, empty reflection.

Her caramel colored heart shaped face looked slightly washed out from the pale morning light of her room, but she ignored it, continuing to re-apply more base make up to the dark circles under her large almond shaped eyes.

Once again, she had gotten no sleep. Awake all night, until she had finally cried herself into exhaustion.

The black liner came out next, out lining the smoky lavender and silver eye shadow on her lids in a cat eyed style. She had just recently learned to do it herself. A year ago, it would have been done for her before she headed out the door to any special event.

Adding mascara, she lengthened dark lashes, carefully separating the ones the tears had made cling together. She set the cosmetic down for a moment and examined the work on her eyes.

Her empty, empty silver gray eyes.

She sighed, and opened a small jewelry box on her dresser.

She retrieved an antique looking silver hairpin, and used it to hold back some of the heavy raven curls from the right side of her face. The way she'd been told had looked good on her. From the same box came a vintage heart shaped locket, the one she had received in order to hold a particular picture in. There were matching silver heart shaped stud earrings, because she had needed something to match the locket. Finally she pulled out a heart shaped ring that seemed insignificant in comparison to the other pieces, rustic from constant wear.

She put them all on. They had been specifically coordinated to go with her dress. The one specifically picked out for her.

It was spaghetti strapped and black, an expensive looking bandage dress that wrapped her form tightly and ended just at her knees. Two-inch black patent Mary Jane's secured on her, barely a height she was able to stand.

She stared at her reflection, tears threatening to brim in her eyes from merely looking at her self. She remembered a time when it would smile back at her, a daring grin playing across the wide lips and life sparkling in the silver eyes. That was not the case anymore.

This wasn't even a reflection, it was more like a shadow. A lost shadow, disconnected from its host that had been trapped in her mirror. Now the shadow savored its sweet time by mocking her every moment she happened to cross paths with it.

She turned away from the mirror, barely standing the sight of it anymore. She grabbed a small vintage looking purse, just big enough to hold everything she needed. Cell phone, wallet, keys, enough make up for touch ups if needed…the small miscellaneous things.

She crossed slowly over to the nightstand by the bed, and picked up the final item she needed. A simple one page letter, one that had been crumpled with age and had several words blurred from tear stains, made it's way between her fingers. She was considering making it part of the ritual. Amazing to think this had only been written one year ago, so carelessly…without even realizing the impact it would have month's later…

She scanned the words quickly, replaying one of the last conversations had with their author like a bad memory.

_xxx_

"_Via! I had the most amazing dream last night!" _

"_Lenie…you tell me that every morning. I don't know how you keep topping these dreams without the use of narcotics." _

_"Don't be jealous that I'm creative enough to actually enjoy my dreams, and yours are full of...chess matches or something."_

_"I like things logical, sue me." _

_"Well, this one WAS amazing. It was about Wonderland!" _

_"Well, that explains it. Was it shrooms?" _

_"Eat me." _

_"Classy. Don't tell me you went chasing rabbits." _

_"I'm serious, V. This is actually one I've been having a lot, but it was so vivid this time. I could remember everything. Its like a warped version of the place straight out of the book!" _

_"Well, it wouldn't be the first time you're dreams took you to one of your little worlds." _

_"It's always so weird...it always feel so real..." _

_"Well, it's not obviously. Lenie, we're seventeen and you still dream like a starry eyed grade schooler." _

_"Well, I've heard it's said that the most craziest and childish of people are always the most brilliant." _

_"And who said that Lenie?" _

_"I don't know...some one..." _

_"Uh-huh..." _

_"Ya know, you should be nicer to me. Ha, you may be a smart cookie, but you'd be antisocial if it wasn't for me." _

_"Whatever Lenie. I for one, don't need the entire world drooling one me 24/7. I'm happy being quiet, thank you." _

_"You can be such a wall flower. It's such a waste, just look at you."_

_"Can't I just look at you?" _

_"Exactly! Look at us! You need to trust me. It's like Madi and I have taught you nothing." _

_"Because of course I need to take every thought that comes out of yours and Madi's head straight to heart because of it's ingenuity."_

_"So sarcastic, you're lucky I love you. Still, I don't even know how you started dating Alex. Oh wait, yes I do. I introduced you two."_

_"Stop laughing at me. I already know that I owe you, okay. I'm surprised myself sometimes...Alex is such an amazing guy..." _

_"But even he doesn't deserve you V..." _

_"What was that?" _

_"Well, um...I mean...he's lucky to have you. You're too good for anyone V, you really are." _

_"I don't know..." _

_"Hey...V..." _

_"What?" _

_"I...had another dream last night..."_

_"Didn't you just get through telling me that?"_

_"No. I mean...it was another one. After the Wonderland one..."_

_"So?" _

_"Well, something bad happened in it...and I-"_

_"Why does it matter? It's just a dream right?" _

_"I guess-"_

_"Oh my god. Come on Lenie? Are you actually freaked out?" _

_"Um...no, never mind." _

_"Well, you can still tell me if you want." _

_"No, no...it's okay. It's like you said. It's just a dream, right?"_

_xxx_

She stopped herself. She didn't need to re-read the letter now or drown in nostalgia. She had already done that the night before.

She put the page gingerly in the bag and left the somber aura of her room after grabbing a light lavender sweater, in case the wind was going to pick up later.

She passed through the kitchen, ready to walk out the door, when she was intercepted by her step-mother, Analyn.

"You look nice." Analyn said quietly, being the timid woman that she was.

"Thanks." Vianna said shortly, not in the mode for contact.

"Are you really going?" her step mother said quietly, trying to show concern.

"Yes," Vianna said rolling her eyes, preparing for the interrogation that she knew was about to ensue.

"Are you driving?"

"How else would I get there?"

"You just still seem so nervous behind the wheel. I can take you if you want."

"You have to go to work. Besides, I can't be scared of other cars forever can I? I'll go slow. Don't worry."

"But it would be better if some one went with you...like maybe Madi could go?"

"Madi and her family are still in California."

"Maybe you could wait a few days...I mean...you don't have to go today if you're not ready-"

"Analyn, I'm going. Today." Vianna said sharply. She had been hoping she could leave the house in peace, but it looked like that wouldn't be so.

The woman's constant prying at trying to understand her emotions, especially for the past year, had always been vexing.

She took a few more steps, but then Analyn spoke again. Vianna gave her a little credit, since she knew how hard it was for her to initiate confrontation.

"Honey," she said softly. "I-I heard you crying last night..."

Vianna cringed. She thought she'd been able to muffle her sobbing.

"It's been a year. I'm fine Analyn." she murmured bitterly.

"I just want to make sure you're okay," the mousy woman persisted. "Even though it's been a year...you still-I mean...you have a right, but-"

"But what?" Vianna questioned harshly.

"I don't think she'd would want you to feel this way." Analyn said finally with compassionate eyes, trying very hard to connect empathy with the young woman she'd been attempting to get close to for three years.

That comment made something in Vianna snap, and she turned her head fiercely to glare her stepmother down.

"How would you know what she wanted?" Vianna hissed. "If anyone would know anything, I think it would be me!"

How dare she try and empathize. No one would ever know what she was going through. And it could never be empathy, it would just be sympathy. It would be pity.

That's all Vianna had gotten after the incident and she hated it. She despised it, because she had to face it alone. All alone in this pathetic broken existence.

Hurt flushed in Analyn's eyes and she looked down immediately, stuttering and trying to recover from her offense.

"Well, you shouldn't have to go alone...I-I mean, we could come with you," she plead sadly. "If you wanted to wait till your father got home...or I could get work off and-"

Vianna sighed heavily, immediately regretting her response. She didn't usually lash out, but she was touchy when it came to this subject. Still, Analyn was only trying to help. She was only trying to understand, and that's more than Vianna could say for her own mother.

"No, no it's okay." Vianna said with an another apologetic sigh. "Don't take work off Annie. It's not worth the trouble."

"But will you be all right?" the shy woman asked eagerly.

Vianna forced a smile to reassure her and nodded.

Analyn tried to speak again, but Vianna cut her off and tried giving her the understanding she was looking for.

"It's just some peace I need to make with myself, okay?" she said softly, begging her stepmother to drop the subject.

Analyn sighed and nodded, realizing she was defeated.

"Will you be gone long?"

Vianna shrugged, turning away.

"We'll all be waiting for you when you come home," she heard Analyn say softly, before heading swiftly out the back to retrieve her husky, Martini, from the backyard and then get in her car.

"I doubt it." Vianna murmured, unconsciously slamming the door of the house behind her.

AN: Ladies and gentlemen, our main OC protagonist? Such a cheery one, isn't she? I actually quite love her, and you'll find out why. Don't worry my white rabbits! Wonderland is just around the corner…perhaps…

What are your thoughts? Questions? Any predictions! Put them in a review! I will respond! Trust me!

3 Tasia's Endless Dreams


	4. Confessions

Chapter 4-Confessions

"I'm wearing the dress you got me..."

All Vianna's strained voice was met with was the empty sound of an early spring breeze, caressed by the echo of mournful wind chimes swaying from the tree branches overhead.

"I haven't worn it until now, but I thought you might want to see me in it some time…despite the circumstances." she said quietly, as if carrying on awkward conversation with a stranger.

The horizon was cerulean blue without a cloud in the sky. The sun shone brightly, and warmth mixed in with the breeze creating the perfect temperature. Cracks of sunlight broke through the shaded portions of the trees overhead.

The faint sound of rustling leaves and chirping birds twittered invitingly.

This place felt absolutely morbid.

She normally avoided anyplace like this at all costs, but today she could not run away. Today she had to face it.

She brushed her dress self-consciously and held her arm out, as if being examined.

"I don't know how I look in it. I could never pull off everything you could. I don't care what you say. Even with the same face, you'll always be more glamorous than I ever will."

It wasn't just the dress that had been recommended.

The first thing that came to Vianna's mind brought painful tears running down her cheeks, and she tried to stifle them while continuing her visit.

"I graduated." she added, wiping her cheeks with her wrists delicately, trying to save the make up that had been such a laborious task."That's something good right? I mean, I wasn't very worried about it before but...after what happened, it was kind of hard to pull it all together."

More silence.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to actually get here. I...kinda went into shock before..." she said softly, a hand running self consciously through her hair. "But um...look who I brought!"

She beckoned for the fluffy auburn and white Siberian husky by her side to step forward. The canine did, heterochromatic eyes downcast as she whimpered too subtly for anyone besides for Vianna to hear.

"Martini's not exactly allowed in here," said Vianna, trying to feign enthusiasm. "But no one is really around today, so I thought I could sneak her in. Imagine me, being daring for once..."

The stunning animal only laid down pathetically on all fours in front of the plot, still whimpering. She was smart, some how, she knew what this all meant.

Vianna sighed, knowing how hard this was for Martini. The dog had pretty much been gifted to and raised by the person they were both here to see. That person was Master Number One, they were surrogate mother. Vianna was no replacement, and she knew that.

In a way, they were just mutual companions in mourning, and no one else seemed to understand now the way that dog did. It was sad really. Vianna had lost so much faith in people, in practically everything.

She sighed, and went down to pet Martini's head and scratch underneath the baby pink rhinestone encrusted collar that hadn't left the husky's neck for two years. Just like Vianna's own neck piece, it had been picked out meticulously.

"Dad's fine." Vianna began off handedly, desperately searching for something to talk about, procrastinating her true intentions. "Still the stiff cold military man he's always been. He tries to not show it, but it's still hurting him. It's probably hurting him almost as much as it does me, but of course not the same."

She carefully sat in the thick grass on her knees, just therapeutically stroking Martini, the wet dew of the ground cooling her bare legs.

"He doesn't talk to me anymore," Vianna added, a tinge of bitterness ringing in her voice. "He doesn't even look at me. You know, I think it's funny, even though he was always going on about how responsible I was, I think you were always his favorite. Even though we look exactly the same...there's something about you that probably reminded him of mom. That's probably what made you so special to him...but it's not like you need any help being special..."

Vianna felt as if she was ticking off a list in an annual report, reading just how many individuals had been affected after the time of departure.

"Madi misses you." Vianna continued, eyes downcast as memories of a once dynamic trio seemed like all but hazy dreams. "She's been bombarding me at the house for the past year, trying to break me out of my stupor. I shut her out most of the time, but you know that doesn't stop her."

She almost smiled at the mental image of the tiny and child faced, yet thick headed and determined honey-brunette. The times that she had waltzed into Vianna's house as if she owned it, stormed into Vianna's room, and forced the depressing girl to put herself together every once in awhile and to just step outside and feel some sunshine. Back when all Vianna wanted to do was sink into the covers and fade into nothingness.

It was just Madi being Madi she presumed. She was Vianna's best friend after all...she was_ their _best friend...

"Maybe she's picking up the slack for you..." Vianna tried to resolve. "Maybe she's just making up for those first few weeks that she was like me. You know it takes a lot for something to hit Madi hard. She clung to me for months afterward...but... for the first few weeks, she couldn't talk to me. She couldn't be around me without bursting into tears. I was just too much of a reminder of you..."

The reality swarming in those words made Vianna's heart stir. She gripped her fits tightly, trying not to twitch them.

"It's weird wherever I go now, people stare at me." she confessed in a dull monotone, trying so hard not to twitch, not to feel bitter. "They never used to before, but they don't actually look at me, so that hasn't changed. They're just staring right through me, watching me. Like I'm some ghost, you're ghost, wandering around lost and confused."

A scoff escapes her lips, and they curl back into disgust ever so slightly.

"In a way, I might as well be." she said in a hard tone, a sudden resolution playing across her lifeless eyes. "No matter what, you're still the one people watch for. Even now."

Something inside her finally welled up, and her fists balled.

"I can't do this…"she sighed in frustration.

She shot up from the ground, and started pacing ever so slightly, one or two steps at a time.

"Ive tried for months now to pretend like I can function." she said, trying to contain herself.

She stepped back and forth. Back and forth.

"Like the way I feel can just be changed…but…I can't….I've tried so hard …but I can't pretend anymore…"

Back and forth. Back forth. Like a caged panther under a spot light, unable to sink into its most beloved shadows.

"I'm so mad at you!" she hissed through her teeth, her small voice building. "I'm so furious at you don't even know, and you're never going to know. That's what's worse."

She stomped her black heel into the ground, the stiletto getting caught in the soft up kept earth.

"You've never thought about the consequences of your actions, and I'm the one that's paying for it more than ever." She let out, a built up sob escaping from her throat, knuckles turning white.

"You're so stupid! You're so selfish! Why couldn't you think, for just one second?" she cried. "You made one stupid mistake, you kept one stupid secret from me, and you took everything from me…"

She stopped shortly, trying to get control of the tone of her voice, trying to get control of herself.

"If you wanted him…you could have just told me…"

The words slipped so slowly and sadly Vianna could barely stand it.

"He can rot for all I care…He's not worth it." she whimpered, imitating the canine who was now staring at her with empathetic eyes. "He's not now and he never would have been…He can burn and rot because he pretended he cared about me, but he still took you from me…You both took everything from me!"

All the built up anxiety from the past year was building up. It was boiling over. Vianna strained as if controlling a leak in a dam.

"You took away my best friend…The other side of everything I am…"

Her voice cracked, their would be no regaining herself this time.

"You took away my sister…"

"I don't who or what I am anymore Valena. Am I a ghost? A shadow? I'm so broken Lenie, because now you're gone and the only thing I have is the reflection you left in the mirror and all those dreams you used to be so sure of…"

Nothing more than the silence Vianna was loathing.

"That's right Lenie…I'm dreaming. Are you proud of me?" she announced pitifully with a cynical edge in her voice, as if pleading the concrete slab in front of her for affirmation. "I was skeptical for so many years, and now lately I've been dreaming all the time. They're foggy, confusing…ominous…and…they always feel so real…ironic right?"

Vianna held her arms around her shoulders with goosebumps starting to form. They weren't from the current soft breeze, but from the shivering feelings creeping up her spine.

"I can't even close my eyes without feeling that some how…some where…someone's watching me. I can't understand any of it…and now you're not even here to help me." she admitted with heartbreaking fear in her eyes.

Vianna sunk to her knees yet again, the weight of an uncertain existence careening on top of her.

"Valena, what do I do?" she heaved in-between sobs. "Please! Just give me a sign! Anything! I used to be in synch with you all the time…and now it's just nothingness!"

She ripped the letter out of the purse on her shoulder, and reread the words hungrily, insanely, trying to see if there was answers she over looked.

"What did you mean when you wrote this?" she begged while it seemed that every ounce of water form her body was leaking through her eyes. "Wonderland? Where is it actually supposed to be? Is-is this all just you? Are…you trying to reach me somehow? Lenie…I just don't understand."

Defeated, Vianna through her head down into her hand's, and let her self completely break down in front of her twin sister's grave, the world spinning madly around her.

xxx

_"I believe now would be the proper time to give you the opportunity for some answers ,Vianna." Nightmare chuckled to himself, watching the crying girl in the graveyard from his realm of the surreal. _

_"Be careful though, since this world wasn't intended for you." he said in useless warning, overseeing as a white rabbit appeared ever so strangely into the picture, ensuring the portal was open. _

_"And remember," the incubus added with a sad smile, viewing a close up on the weeping face that was so familiar to him. "This is what you wished for."_


	5. Chasing Rabbits

Vianna sunk to her knees yet again, the weight of an uncertain existence careening on top of her.

"Valena, what do I do?" she heaved in-between sobs. "Please! Just give me a sign! Anything! I used to be in synch with you all the time…and now it's just nothingness!"

She ripped the letter out of the purse on her shoulder, and reread the words hungrily, insanely, trying to see if there was answers she had over looked.

"What did you mean when you wrote this?" she begged while it seemed that every ounce of water form her body was leaking through her eyes. "Wonderland? Where is it actually supposed to be? Is-is this all just you? Are…you trying to reach me somehow? Lenie…I just don't understand."

Defeated, Vianna through her head down into her hand's, and let her self completely break down in front of her twin sister's grave, the world spinning madly around her.

All of the sudden Martini suddenly started barking, and that immediately stopped Vianna's weeping and redirected her attention.

It should have been nothing huge. Martini was usually a very quiet and well behaved dog. But there were times when she would become excited by other little woodland creatures and she wanted to play. Lacking regular aggression, she had even become friends with numerous cats in the neighborhood. Her aggression had only been initiated if Vianna or her sister had been threatened, and that had been scarce.

The sound of her rarely used voice awoken Vianna's mournful cries and caused her to turn to the source of what was causing the husky distress.

"Tini?" Vianna questioned, wiping running mascara from her cheeks. "What are you-"

Her head turned and her voice froze as she saw what was making Martini rambunctious.

It was a rabbit. This wasn't abnormal. Martini usually barked at squirrels and birds and cats and rabbits and other things. But the shock was in the type of rabbit it was.

It was a _white_ rabbit.

The letter in her hand crumpled as her fingers gripped around it and her purse. Haunting sentiments from the past echoed in her head, mocking her with this present irony.

"_Via! I had the most amazing dream last night…it was about Wonderland…this is actually one I've been having a lot, but it was so vivid this time…like a warped version straight out of the book!"_

Her eyes emptied, becoming silver shells. She got up and slowly started moving toward the albino animal. It stared at her intently, as if beckoning her with its piercing red eyes.

_"Why does it matter? It's just a dream, right?" _

A solitary hope crept up into her heart as she followed her instinct blindly. She had completely blocked out Martini's barks and was staring vacantly at the creature.

However, Martini started getting even more excited and actually began instigating a chase. The beckoning of the White Rabbit stopped and it became frightened by the fluffy giddy husky, scampering for its life.

Vianna noticed in detail the little waist coat it was wearing as it hopped further away from her. A certain panic rose in her chest as she watched her one fleeting chance slip away.

_"Don't tell me you went chasing rabbits..."_

Her feet involuntarily began moving at an increasingly rapid pace. Martini thought Vianna was chasing after her and playfully barked and ran faster, but Vianna was doing nothing of the sort.

Her only focus was decreasing the distance between her and that rodent.

_"It's always so weird…they always feel so real..." _

It was ridiculous. This was all ridiculous. What was she hoping for? Why was there hope at all? Why was her sense burning and her mind broken and her heart moving her body in such a flurry? This was something so completely against her nature that it was almost supernatural.

But what did she have left? She hadn't listened the first time

_"I had another dream last night..."_

And now all was lost. The other half of her world was lost.

_"...Something bad happened...and then..."_

Vianna's eyes teared as she ran harder and more desperately.

The rapid pulsing of her veins matching the rapid beat of her heels into the darkest and thickest parts of the cemetery. This was against her sense. But she had no sense left. She had lost it all. This searing sensation was the only life line she could grab ahold of.

_"...I've been thinking about it...and I don't know if it means something or not..."_

The rabbit froze when it had reached a dead end of thickly grown trees among some older graves. Martini stopped as well instinctively, knowing something was about to happen.

Vianna finally caught up, eyes still vacant and panting hard. She saw the rabbit was stark still, but froze on her own from the look it was now giving her once again.

Then the ground under her feet began to shake, and a hole opened up in the earth.

She couldn't even speak.

So the rabbit did.

"Follow me if you wish to see, the land that you've wished to be." the Rabbit whispered.

He then jumped into the whole and disappeared.

Martini began barking wildly into the whole and at Vianna, but not daring to go after the rabbit. Her animal sense knew better.

Vianna was shaking. This was ludicrous. Everything was ludicrous. She had finally lost it.

_"…but if anything ever were to happen, to either of us…"_

But what did she have left?

The rabbit's words resounded like an echo in her head.

Oh well, with her mind shattered already, one good delusion surely deserved another.

And with that, her conscious blacked and her subconscious took over, sending her willingly diving into the long dark whole.

Martini barked with panic, but then her animal instinct was overtaken by her protective instinct for the one master she had left in this world. With that she dove head first into the whole as attempt to rescue Vianna before it closed.

Darkness was all that encompassed Vianna's vision after the chasm opening faded from sight, removing her from "this world" entirely.

"…_Meet me in Wonderland…okay Via?"_

_xxx_

_**A/N: Pleaseeeee some body tell me what you think of these new chapters! I feel like I'm drowning in limbo here because I've barely even heard a recent word, and yet apparently over a 100 people have viewed this story this month. Is it boring? Some one just give me a wink-wink nudge-nudge about things, and I'll know whether to keep pursuing this like the White Rabbit, or to turn my attention back to some of my other stories. Just let me know! And thank you to every one that has Favorited this and Follows me! I really appreciate it!**_

_**3 Tasia**_


	6. Dream Realm

Vianna couldn't register anything.

Was she awake?

Was this a dream?

Whatever it was, she felt something distinctly familiar about it. It was like what she had been feeling in her most recent dreams, but magnified one hundred times. Had this been what Valena had experienced on a regular basis?

The atmosphere was a swirling smog of grey smoke, and she couldn't tell whether the ground had a beginning or an end.

"What the hell is going on?" she murmured, pushing her jet black hair off her face as she attempted to lift herself up.

"Something that I certainly hope you'll enjoy." A voice suddenly said through the smoky abyss.

This scared the wits out of Vianna, and she turned her head frantically, trying to search for a figure of some kind. On the third revolution, one soon appeared in her vision. The suddenness frightened her and she jumped, tripping back onto the ground.

'Who is that? What am I doing here?' Vianna questioned heatedly in her mind, since she was unable to speak the words. Her mouth was frozen, as were her eyes on the person before her.

He had silvery hair and an eyepatch resting on his right eye. His clothes were eccentric, and with folded arms he smiled down upon while hovering in the smog above.

"I'm Nightmare, If you must ask." he said, and her eyes went wide with shock. "And as for your whereabouts...well...you wanted to be here. You wished for it."

"How the hell can you read my mind?" she said aloud in disbelief.

"It's a gift," the being identified as Nightmare shrugged off in response. "You see, you can't really hide anything from me here. Even your thoughts. This is my realm. It's my job to control it."

"Thats illogical," Vianna refuted, holding her head as if to keep her thoughts locked tight inside. "And even if you can, that's a complete abuse of power. Some gifts shouldn't be used so freely."

She saw him smirk and hover in front of her face inquisitively.

"You speak as if you don't have a gift yourself."

"I don't!" she argued softly, putting her head down farther into her hands, trying to convince herself this was all a dream. "I don't have one. I promise you, you've got the wrong girl."

It was true. She had never been special in her own right. The one who had always been special was-

"Your sister?" Nightmare finished aloud for her.

Vianna froze again, gripping her head more in belief that her mind truly was not safe here. Images of Valena danced in her subconscious, and she tried hard to suppress them, thinking them unworthy of these unfamiliar eyes watching her thoughts.

"What do you know about my sister?" she asked warily.

"I know a lot about Valena." Nightmare said with a smirk, causing Vianna to scowl from him saying her sibling's name. "Possibly a lot more than you're willing to believe."

"No one was closer to Lenie than I was!" Vianna said defensively. "She told me everything!"

"Oh, I never said I doubted that." Nightmare said holding his hands up in a mock plea of innocence. He then floated over to her, turning the tables. "I just doubt you _truly_ believed everything she shared with you. Am I right?"

Vianna balled up her fists, and guilt washed over her.

"That's not true..." she murmured, one of the last conversations between she and her twin replaying once more.

_"Via…I had another dream..."_

_"Something bad happened...and then..."_

_"Why does it matter? It's just a dream, right?" _

_"_It's not my fault..." she whispered, biting her lip. "How was I supposed to believe it all..."

_"Because she was your sister…" _her guilt told her sharply.

"_Because she always trusted you…"_

_"Because she had never been wrong before."_

It was true, to some degree. Valena didn't just dream about extravagant things. Sometimes they would be perfectly normal, but they were things that ended up coming into be. It was just small things. A vision about her dream dress for Prom, certain weather patterns, which boy was going to confess their undying affections for her next, whenever her or her sister would get sick…

They were only supposed to be small things. Small, coincidental, non-life threatening things. So how was Vianna supposed to accept that _one _possible farfetched slumberous vision, may have actually meant the end.

"It's-it's not my fault...she didn't tell me…" Vianna whispered as if trying to rationalize against all the voices in her head.

"It's strange how such small details seem to impact so much." Nightmare said softly behind her shoulder, a sad knowing tone in his voice.

"Shut up!"

Vianna snapped like a cracking whip, and glared at him over her shoulder.

"J-just shut up!" she hissed, trying to cover her vulnerability. "I don't know who you are or what you're supposed to be but...you don't know me or my sister! What is it you want?"

Nightmare stared at the frantic girl in slight amusement, her demeanor reminding him of a cat, puffing itself up in threatening defense.

"We want the same thing Vianna." he said, trying to soothe the girl. "In fact, I think me and Valena want the same thing too. Just to see you happy."

"Stop saying my name!" Vianna cried, stomping her foot uncharacteristically like a frenzied toddler. "Stop saying _her_ name!"

This being…whatever the hell he was…was not allowed to say her sister's name. He wasn't allowed to know her. He wasn't allowed into the deepest and met treasured memories she kept locked away in her heart from all the world. No one was worthy of soiling their existence by having access to them, not even Vianna now…

Nightmare merely tsk-ed at the girl, feigning disappointment.

"You miss her Vianna." he said, getting into her skin, seeing past her wall. "I know you do. I know you think no one can understand you, but trust me. I'm the closest thing. I know every one of your thoughts."

Vianna twitched.

How dare he state something so obvious. You would only need half a brain to understand a fraction of how much she missed her own sister. He must have really been playing some kind of bluff. No mind reading was required for that knowledge at all.

"Well of course not." Nightmare replied in smug glee, helping himself once more to the ranting inside the quiet girl's head. "But I know so much more. I know how guilty you feel, how empty you feel. I know you can't even stand to look at your own reflection in the mirror anymore, because it hurts too much."

He hovered right by her ear at those last words. He whispered them, as he were confessing her most well known dirty little secret.

"Please stop reading my head." Vianna begged weakly, eyes wide and sinking to her knees. She knew now it was futile to prohibit him from entering the storm that was her subconscious. Her fingers laced up into her raven curls again, in a gesture of comfort, as if trying to prevent blows that were inevitable.

"What are you?" she questioned once again, a bitter edge in her voice. "My own subconscious tormenting me? What good could you possibly achieve by telling me what I've already known for the past 365 days every time I open my eyes."

Nightmare sighed with a smirk, feeling almost guilty he needed to get this rise out of the girl. She was truly broken, but this was all necessary for the greater good of the goal.

"Why, I'm just a nightmare Vianna." he said simply, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder she didn't feel she had the strength the swat away. "A nightmare that also knows you've been having some very wonderful dreams."

Her body suddenly tensed underneath his fingertips, and she shivered at the confusing aura of her recent dreams that were deeply soaked into every fiber of this place

"There's nothing wonderful about them." she said. "They're terrible."

"Well, they're probably not as comfortable as your sister had experienced," he agreed with a bit sympathy, but then added convincingly. "Still, they are very special, wonder filled dreams none the less."

"I'm not special..." she denied.

Just in the way Nightmare knew had in every moment of her existence, whether it was beside Valena or without her.

"She thought so." Nightmare said softly.

With a wave of his hand, part of the smoke cleared away in front of them, and it then revealed a curious looking item.

Vianna rose her eyes to gaze at an ornate mirror that was about her height, standing on it's own. The gold framing held meticulously patterns, and her hand shot out to feel along the carving of the symbol of a clover, delicately surrounded by swirls on the right length of the frame.

Her eyes migrated to own reflection in the mirror, but suddenly, it vanished right before her eyes in a wisp of smoke. She jumped and tensed. What was this?

"Think about her Vianna." he whispered as he hovered right behind her in her ear once more. Whispering to her more deadly secrets she already knew.

"Who is the one person you'd wish to see more than anyone else in the world right now. Who is the one person who could help you?"

Vianna couldn't help but notice that Nightmare's reflection was not present in the mirror either, even though she could clearly feel him behind her.

However, she was now going through the motions of blocking him out mentally, as something else began to hold her attention.

Mesmerized, she stared into the mirror again as it seemed to fill with a smoky substance like the atmosphere was made of. It swirled and her own reflection began to manifest again…but then it began to change…

Vianna's eyes lightened. A smirk formed on her wide lips that she was not initiating on her end. Certain streaks of her curling raven hair took on a magenta hue. Vianna raised a hand to her cheek, as a small dotted birthmark appeared underneath her right eye.

"Well now, is you're reflection really so empty?" Nightmare soothed coyly.

Vianna didn't respond, she couldn't. She was capable of both of her hands to the glass of the mirror, as if to see if the glass barrier between her and this dopple-ganger actually existed. This was not her own reflection, not by a long shot. That figure…in the mirror…was…

"Think about her Vianna." Nightmare encouraged, almost at little too eagerly. "Think about everything you are, and then everything she is. How would it feel to look her in the eyes, just one more time?"

"Lenie?" Vianna managed to choke out, afraid any sound or movement would cause this illusion to vanish before her eyes. Her hands pressed so tightly against the mirror they left prints, and morphed as she clawed her fingers at a snails pace downward.

"Perfect..." Nightmare murmured to himself, a faint tone of dark glee resonating in his voice. He was gaining what he must. He had just enough to set things in motion.

The dopple-ganger in the mirror replaced it's smirk with a sad smile, as if to register to Vianna that it, indeed, knew she was there. It opened it's mouth, as if beginning to say something, but then suddenly, the image of the mirror started filling completely with smoke. It poured in as if one were filling a large glass of water, and the intent was to drown whatever was inside.

For a brief moment, there was a look of panic in the reflection of Valena's eyes before her appearance was concealed by the thick gray substance.

Vianna beat on the glass in panic, calling out her deceased twin name but to no avail.

"Well, I suppose our visit can be cut a little short, but I'll see you again soon enough..." Nightmare said, feeling satisfied with his results.

"Where-where are you going?" Vianna cried frantically, fully out of her trance and no demanding answers. What's going on! Wait-Why...why do I feel...so heavy..."

A heavy lethargic feeling suddenly washed over her, as if she were being dragged down…down…

"Now now, don't sound so distressed." Nightmare soothed, a sly laugh tinging his voice. "You're about to go somewhere marvelous Vianna. The one place you've wished for so deep down, not even you'll admit it."

All Vianna could do was fight this sudden tiredness, but faintly in the back of her mind, she knew what he was talking about. But it couldn't-he couldn't possibly mean-

"Oh, but I do." he said, once again interrupting her inner pondering. "Don't you want to see her more than anything else?"

"There's no way...there's no way any of this is real..." Vianna struggled in a heavy breath.

"Don't think about it too much." Nightmare said, smirking at her lightly, but in a way, almost endearingly. "I know you tend to do that."

She merely scowled at him, and he chuckled lightly, knowing this to be the typical Vianna response.

"Just enjoy it." he said, and then suddenly his voice became fainter and fainter…" And if you get too scared, just remember, it's just a dream...right Via?"

Her eyes emptied at his words, at their familiarity. Yet, her mind becomes foggy, she can't register her time or place, or even the face of the person she was just speaking too...

Memories of the past five minutes and all the senses associated with them fall from her finger tips. What she just heard...of who she just saw...of who she was…all gone as she was being pulled farther and farther into this comatose feeling.

She sunk into darkness...into just a dream. She didn't know if she'd ever wake up...she doesn't even know if she wanted to.

The only thing she could register, was that for some reason, she just felt…empty.

XXX

Nightmare smiled sadly as the girl slipped from his realm. He had induced her into a such a deep sleep, not even her subconscious could conjure any images to dream. It was best she not remember much of anything while she had been in his realm, at least during _this _particular visit. It would cause her to ask too many questions and seek too many answers too quickly than the plot of this game would be ready for.

"Well, I hope she'll be all right." Nightmare shrugged, but he figured a smart girl like her would find her way quite easily. "I'll check on her later. Right now, I have another sleeping beauty who is waiting to be awakened."

He then turned to the smog filled mirror. He ran a hand gingerly over the top of the frame, just under the heart carving resting straight at its top.

"We all know how special you were Valena." He whispered to the entity of memories that was now harbored behind the glass. "Now let's see if _she_ can't be quite as special..."

XXX

_**A/N: Hello there! Guess who gave you guys chapter number six, and still only has six reviews? ^^ **_

_***sigh* I didn't want to have to resort to this, but let's see if it doesn't work, shall we? I would like at least **__**15 reviews**__** total on this before I publish the next chapter. It's taken a lot to really get back into this story and make sure I'm posting chapters in a timely manner, so I'd really love some feed back. I have plenty of other projects I can be working on for you guys, so let me know if this is something worth giving two cents about. ^^ Come on guys! Via wakes up in Wonderland! And the first person she meets is….?**_

_**Don't you want to know? Then put your darn thoughts in the comments! Predict! I don't care! Just get chatty!**_

_**Thank you for reading! Like always! **_

_**3 Tasia**_


End file.
